Genius bar appointment on Sat, what can I expect?

[Twimfy]

So about 3 days after owning my Sport (which arrived on release day) I noticed what I thought was dust under the screen. Really tiny but it kept catching my eye in certain light.

On closer inspection it turned out to be a nick in the glass. Not a scratch, an tiny tiny piece of glass missing that you can see under bright light and feel under your finger nail.

I spoke to an advisor online and told them I'd been super careful with it and wasn't really very impressed if this was what was going to happen on a light abrasion (which I'm assuming it might have been but we're talking skin or clothing at worst). I asked him if he thought it could be a defect in the glass itself and he suggested that a (and I quote) "an observational genius bar appointment" might be an option.

Fast forward to today and I've finally got time to go to the store (which is 90 mins away) on Saturday. I don't have Apple Care as I already have comprehensive gadget insurance with another company.

What's the likelihood they'll help me with this? I can't prove to them I've been super careful with it but it definitely isn't a scratch, there are no abrasion marks either side of the nick that suggest it's been caught on something (which it hasn't).

I do still have the original case ID and transcript to prove I made contact with them as soon as I noticed it.

It's not a huge deal but it's bothering the hell out of me knowing it's there. I'm all too happy to accept damage I've done but not this.

 

[WilliamG]

So about 3 days after owning my Sport...

...told them I'd been super careful with it and wasn't really very impressed if this was what was going to happen on a light abrasion (which I'm assuming it might have been...

I'm all too happy to accept damage I've done but not this.

And that's the issue. You've no way to prove you didn't do it. You may very well have done it. Now, it's going to be completely up to Apple as to whether they take care of you. They may be nice about it, but really - this is one of those grey areas.

I can certainly appreciate that you don't think you damaged it, but there's always the potential you did. This is just glass, like on an iPhone, and an iPhone taking a knock can easily hurt the glass. Watches are more susceptible to impact damage day-to-day than a phone.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

Be polite, clear and concise in your communication, and everything should work out just fine.

However, rather than drive 90 mins each way, I would just exchange the watch via mail...but that's just me.

Best of luck and let us know how things turn out.

 

[BradDylan]

They will honor the 1 year warranty that covers manufactured defects. Not sure if they will see it as a manufacture defect or accidental damage. If it is accidental damage they will help you but it would just cost $$.

I wouldn't bother bringing proof when you contacted apple. You could have slammed the watch on pavement (not saying you did of course) and then called them right after so when you called won't mean anything.

One last thing. You said you have gadget insurance. Not sure who it's with but Apple won't honor that. Maybe your gadget insurance would reimburse you for repairs done at the genius bar after the fact. But Apple won't have anything to do with that. Just in case you were under The impression that Apple would honor third-party insurance.

I hope this helps

B

 

[Twimfy]

And that's the issue. You've no way to prove you didn't do it. You may very well have done it. Now, it's going to be completely up to Apple as to whether they take care of you. They may be nice about it, but really - this is one of those grey areas.

I can certainly appreciate that you don't think you damaged it, but there's always the potential you did. This is just glass, like on an iPhone, and an iPhone taking a knock can easily hurt the glass. Watches are more susceptible to impact damage day-to-day than a phone.

I mean it may very well be that I did it, but I did take time off over the time that the watch arrived and did pretty much nothing for a few days and I cannot remember ever having that oh crap moment as I knocked it off a wall. Since then however I've had a few incidents where it's caught a door frame occasionally as I've been walking around and it's still perfect. It's more the nature of the damage that is puzzling me, it's so neat and deep as if someone had taken the point of a very sharp knife to it.

Be polite, clear and concise in your communication, and everything should work out just fine.

However, rather than drive 90 mins each way, I would just exchange the watch via mail...but that's just me.

Best of luck and let us know how things turn out.

Well the guy in Apple Chat didn't want to recommend that as an option as he couldn't definitively say it was eligible for replacement.

I'll definitely be polite, I always am when it comes to these things and I'll treat it more of a query rather than be that raging customer who pulls the guy in skinny jeans over the bar until he gets his way!

In all likelihood it'll scratch one day anyway so I'm just prolonging the inevitable but worth a shot I suppose.

I'm also going to ask why my iPhone 6 appears to have bent as well!!

----------

They will honor the 1 year warranty that covers manufactured defects. Not sure if they will see it as a manufacture defect or accidental damage. If it is accidental damage they will help you but it would just cost $$.

I wouldn't bother bringing proof when you contacted apple. You could have slammed the watch on pavement (not saying you did of course) and then called them right after so when you called won't mean anything.

One last thing. You said you have gadget insurance. Not sure who it's with but Apple won't honor that. Maybe your gadget insurance would reimburse you for repairs done at the genius bar after the fact. But Apple won't have anything to do with that. Just in case you were under The impression that Apple would honor third-party insurance.

I hope this helps

B

Ah yeah I know I got that, I was simply mentioning that incase anyone trolled me with "shoulda bought Apple care". My monthly premium for all of my household stuff is an easier pill to swallow than ££ upfront.

 

[respectabilia]

Let us know what the outcome is and what you decide to do.

 

[Fredo C]

You are obviously OCD if something as small as you say it is bothers you this much and you are willing to drive for hours to have it rectified. I am OCD as well so it is not an insult.

Someone like you would have noticed this on day 1 upon opening the box. This makes me think that you nicked it and didn't even realize it. The Ion X glass is vulnerable to this. You really need a screen protector or AC Plus with the Sport. Hell I have SS AW and bought Applecare Plus, which I have never done on my numerous iPads and iPhones over the years, because I know how a scratch would drive me crazy.

You can try to see if you get a nice Genius, but really I don't think Apple should be expected to help you in this case.

 

[Brian Y]

Because you're from the UK, from a legal perspective (I doubt it will get that far) you do not legally have to prove you did it.

It's less than 6 months old, so it's up to Apple to prove that it wasn't faulty when purchased. If there's no other markings around the chip (it would be almost impossible to chip it yourself without leaving some other mark/scratch nearby) then this shouldn't really be possible.

That said, I very much doubt you will have any issues - they will, if anything, want to get faulty units back in case there is a manufacturing problem. It never hurts to know your legal rights, though.

 

[WilliamG]

Because you're from the UK, from a legal perspective (I doubt it will get that far) you do not legally have to prove you did it.

It's less than 6 months old, so it's up to Apple to prove that it wasn't faulty when purchased. If there's no other markings around the chip (it would be almost impossible to chip it yourself without leaving some other mark/scratch nearby) then this shouldn't really be possible.

That said, I very much doubt you will have any issues - they will, if anything, want to get faulty units back in case there is a manufacturing problem. It never hurts to know your legal rights, though.

I disagree. It's definitely not out of the realm of possibility to take a piece of glass/sapphire out if knocked on a sharp edge etc, and yes - without leaving any other marks.

Again, I'm not necessarily doubting the original post, - just trying to say that it will absolutely depend on how "nice" the Apple rep is.

 

[Twimfy]

Well I went to the genius bar yesterday. The chap was kinda flummoxed as this was their first ever watch appointment and he pretty much admitted that they're in the dark with how to handle most procedures.

Anyhoo he said that if I contact Apple Sales Support he thinks they'll replace it for me, after looking at it in detail he said that the nature of the nick could impact the oleophobic coating in the long run which is a sure fire fast track to free replacement in the first year so it would make sense to do it. He agreed that it didn't look like the result of user damage. He kindly added all of this to the case notes to try and give me the best possible outcome.

I'll be calling Apple later today so I'll let everyone know the result.

 

[Mr Retina]

Instead of driving 90 minutes each way, you should've just had apple care service the watch for you over the phone/online..The store will have to send it to a depot center anyways to fix it, because there is no such thing as in house repairs on watches even If it needs a restore.

 

[mcdj]

he said that if I contact Apple Sales Support he thinks they'll replace it for me

Wow, what a waste of a trip. Maybe it's different elsewhere, but in the U.S. the Genius Bar has the power to decide on a replacement and typically do it on the spot if a replacement is warranted.

 

[Zxxv]

Wow, what a waste of a trip. Maybe it's different elsewhere, but in the U.S. the Genius Bar has the power to decide on a replacement and typically do it on the spot if a replacement is warranted.

Its the same in the UK.

seems the poster dilly dallied.

 

[bunnicula]

Wow, what a waste of a trip. Maybe it's different elsewhere, but in the U.S. the Genius Bar has the power to decide on a replacement and typically do it on the spot if a replacement is warranted.

Does the U.S. have replacement watches in stores now?

 

[bushman4]

Unfortunately the geniuses are relatively new with this product. They have no replacement watches in store
Most likely they will have to return it and mail you a new one
If you are within your 14 day return window, just return it and order another one Wait times are getting better

 

[Newtons Apple]

Most of the Apple stores have no replacements. Some do not even have the equipment to test the new Aplle watch. That will all be changing next month.

I strongly suggest spending the $70 bucks on AppleCare + as you then can simply call them and they will express/overnight a replacement watch head.

With a "wearable" it is the best investment you can make for peach of mind.

 

[Mr.C]

Wow, what a waste of a trip. Maybe it's different elsewhere, but in the U.S. the Genius Bar has the power to decide on a replacement and typically do it on the spot if a replacement is warranted.

It's typically the same here in the UK too at least from my experience. I think in the OP's case it was more to do with the unfamiliarity of how to deal with Watch issues in store and the likely hood they probably don't have "brown box" replacement stock anyway.